The Long, Drawn Out Dog
If you are a dachshund owner, you are already aware of their special needs when it comes to clothing. There are tons of cute outfits out there, but many simply won’t comfortably fit a dachshund’s body.
This snug but stretchy fleece sweater is the perfect solution.
I am the very proud grandmother of an adorable mini dachshund, and ‘mini’ she is. Weighing in around eight pounds, give or take a couple of ounces, she is on the tiny and delicate side of mini-dachshund. Of course, she would be insulted if we told her that, so keep it to yourself please. She thinks she is a big dog (far be it for me to argue with her).
Many small dogs, and especially dachshunds, are unable to keep as warm as bigger dogs. We were quite impressed when her usually naked tummy grew its winter coat, but still, a dachshund’s little legs are only a couple of inches long. Measure the wet grass or a puddle of water and you can see the problem. Their bodies are so close to the ground they always get wet! In winter especially, a sweater or a coat is essential. Rainboots wouldn’t hurt either.
Fitting Your Dachshund
That brings us to the main fitting issues. First and most obvious is the dachshund’s length. Most clothes, tees, dresses, or whatever, only cover the top half of her. She is too long! (actually she says other dogs are just too short).
The other, perhaps bigger concern, is the large protruding breastbone. We’ve found most clothes with sleeves or a collar won’t fit around that protuberant bone. It’s too snug on their chest. Then when you do find an outfit that will fit her, the rest of it may be too loose. Picture her little body rubbing up against chairs, under the bed, around the couch, any where she can reach, scratching her back because her clothes are bugging her.
The Fleece Sweater is the most comfortable tank she owns. It fits beautifully: snug so she feels very secure, stretchy enough that snug doesn’t equal tight, and lengthy enough that it covers much more of her stretched out body. She will relax in it much more than most of her other sweaters or tank tops. She prefers sleeveless. We do to, since it still allows for freedom of movement.
She has two of these lovely fleeces, one if basic black, of course, and one in pink. Red is next I think. She does look lovely in bright colors.
Tanks For Core Warmth
This one is a personal favorite. You have to smile when you see a 7 pound dog wearing a security shirt! This style–a tank top–is the one we most often use. It warms her tummy and gives full leg movement.
Reversible Wool Peacoat
Outfits get cuter and cuter! A wool peacoat is good for keeping that low slung tummy from getting wet.
A Proper Collar
Once again the dachshund’s body requires extra care in a collar. In their case, a harness is a far better choice. With a collar, their delicate necks are too easily harmed. With a harness it spread the tension through the upper body. No choke, v-neck, and made with reflective tape for safety at night. A nice bonus is that it is made in the United States. Even if you prefer something lighter than this, do avoid a regular neck collar if possible.
The Weiner Races
If you’ve never seen a weiner dog race, you might enjoy this one! It’s such a kick to see them! They would hold them in San Diego annually. Great pleasure for all dachshund owners to see the variety, the race, and some of the fancy costumes. Yes, some were dressed as hot dogs, buns and all.
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